Needless to say, the first week of District 3-5A play didn't quite go as planned. Well, at least not the way Midland High or Lee fans planned and certainly not the way any of the MRT staff predicted.

This isn't the spot to debate why those losses occurred. Actually, it's been a topic of discussion in three different columns in the MRT this week.

But as we move forward into the second week of 3-5A, the games from the surrounding area provide plenty of intriguing matchups. The week's slate of game as a whole should be the best yet this season.

Last week I went 11-5, bringing my record to 77-31 on the year. That leaves me at 71 percent for the season. This week's games might push that mark down a bit.

MIDLAND HIGH 52, ODESSA HIGH 17: I'm expecting Midland High to get off to a stronger start this week. The slow start issue is something the Bulldogs are focused on fixing and Odessa High is a good opponent for them to correct the problem. The Bronchos are going to struggle to keep up nearly every week.

ABILENE HIGH 38, LEE 14: A second straight road loss in Abilene for the Rebels here. With the Rebels struggling to make big plays on offense, it's going to be tough to keep up with the Eagles, who are equipped to strike efficiently and quickly. This loss will leave Lee in a rather deep hole to dig out of for its playoff hopes.

COOPER 38, PERMIAN 31: This is the 3-5A game of the week. Whoever wins is going to be in a great position for earning a playoff spot. It's hard not to expect a high scoring game. Part of me wants to give Permian the edge because its the home team. However, with Cooper finally finding it's groove, the Cougars become a very serious threat for the 3-5A title.

BIG SPRING 20, SWEETWATER 13: This is it for Big Spring. Beating Abilene Wylie and Snyder to finish the season seems quite unlikely. If the Steers want to avoid going winless this season, Sweetwater represents their best chance at a win. The Steers and Mustangs have some common opponents and I was definitely more impressed with the way Big Spring played Midland Christian than the fight Sweetwater put up. That's all this Big Spring alum needed to see to pick the Steers.

MIDLAND CHRISTIAN 37, GRAPEVINE FAITH 10: MCS should finish the rest of the regular season without suffering another loss, then look for the Mustangs to be a legit threat in the postseason.

ANDREWS 32, FORT STOCKTON 7: District 4-3A play isn't going to be nearly as nice to Fort Stockton as its non-district schedule was. Andrews QB Shane Dolgener is proving to be one of the best new talents in the Permian Basin, regardless of classification.

STANTON 27, HAWLEY 14: Hawley entered district play undefeated and has since dropped its last two. Stanton was able to get Idalou and Coahoma out of the way before its bye week, although it did lose to both teams. Now the Buffs should be battling rival Forsan and Coahoma for a playoff spot out of the district.

FORSAN 33, COAHOMA 28: Coahoma is really figuring itself out, but Forsan has a lot of team speed. It's the most talented team at Forsan in nearly a decade. The Buffaloes speed and experience should pay off against the Bulldogs, who don't have nearly as much of either quality.

TRINITY 52, EL PASO IMMANUEL 6: This is Trinity's only district game and it shouldn't be much of a challenge for the Chargers. This win is important for playoff positioning, though, and should lead to a much deeper playoff run for Trinity.